Transcript Using Mainstream Housing Resources

Affordable and Accessible Housing
Strategies to Access Affordable
Housing for Persons with Disabilities
James Yates
Technical Assistance Collaborative Inc.
www.tacinc.org
Disability Program Navigator, Audio Conference Series
April 15, 2004
AGENDA
 Housing Affordability
for Persons with
Disabilities
 Major Federal Housing Programs
- What they are?
- Strategies to access these programs
for persons with disabilities.
 Other Housing Efforts in Your Community
Housing Needs and Housing
Affordability
Priced Out in 2002 Study
 Released on May 30, 2002
 Compares SSI income to housing costs
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Nationally
By state
Locally in 2,702 housing market areas
 Housing
crisis for people with disabilities
receiving SSI is worse than 2 years ago
Housing Needs and Housing
Affordability
Priced Out in 2002 Findings
 SSI means extreme poverty
 Nationally, SSI income equal to 18 percent of median
income
 Average one bedroom rent is 105 percent of monthly SSI
 Average studio rent is 89 percent of monthly SSI
 SSI equal to earning $3.43 per hour
 From 2000-2002, rents rose twice as fast as SSI cost-ofliving adjustments
 Only subsidized housing assistance can close the
“housing affordability gap” for people with mental illness
Housing Needs and Housing
Affordability
 IF
affordability is defined as paying no
more than 30-40 percent of income
towards housing costs
 THEN SSI recipients should pay no more
than $160-$220 towards housing costs
 SSI recipients need subsidized housing
programs – such as Section 8 (Housing
Choice Voucher Program).
Federal Affordable Housing
Programs
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Key federal housing subsidy programs
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Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)
Public Housing
Privately Owned HUD Assisted Housing
McKinney Homeless Assistance programs for Homeless People
with Disabilities (Shelter Plus Care program, Supportive Housing
Program, Section 8 SRO program)
Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities
program
Other federal affordable housing program
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Consolidated Plan Programs (HOME, CDBG, HOPWA)
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program
Housing Choice Voucher (Section
8) Program
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Over 2,600 Public Housing Agencies administer Section 8 programs
Largest federal housing program
Provides a “rent subsidy” based on (1) household income and (2)
the cost of housing
Many PHAs have a poor Section 8 “success” rates
New “use it or lose it” HUD policy
PHAs with utilization <97% can’t apply for new vouchers
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Even if waiting lists are long!
Over 60,000 vouchers available for people with disabilities since
1997.
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Over 470 PHAs have these vouchers.
PHAs not required to apply for them.
Non-profits can apply for a small number of vouchers each year.
List of these vouchers are available on TAC’s website.
Benefits of Section 8
 People
can rent/own housing of their
choice in communities of their choice
 It is permanent, long-term, and affordable
 It is independent housing which can be
linked with – but is separate from – flexible
services and supports
How Does the Section 8 Program
Actually Work?
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Households apply to get on PHA Section 8 waiting list –
sometimes lists are closed!
Once selected from the waiting list, household is “issued”
a Section 8 voucher
Household has 60-120 days (or more) to search for
housing which meets Section 8 requirements
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Rent is within Fair Market Rent limits
Rent is “reasonable” based on market
Unit passes Housing Quality Standards inspection
Landlord agrees to accept Section 8 payments
PHA subsidy paid directly to landlord
Tenant rent paid directly to landlord
Other Section 8 Rules
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Tenants will pay between 30 and 40 percent of income
upon move-in
Tenant may pay more than 40 percent only if required by
a rent increase
When tenant moves, voucher moves with them (tenant
based assistance)
Section 8 voucher is “portable” anywhere in the U.S. –
One year geographic restriction adopted by PHA policy
Income targeting - 75% of a PHA’s Section 8 vouchers
must be provided to households below 30% of median
income (Some PHAs seek exceptions to this rule)
Reasonable Accommodation and
Reasonable Modification
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Reasonable Accommodation
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A change in rules, policies, practices, or services that
may be necessary to provide a person with a
disability an equal opportunity to obtain housing and
to use and enjoy her home.
Examples: PHA allowing Section 8 vouchers to be
used in congregate housing.
Reasonable Modification
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Allow a person with a disability to alter their rental
housing to meet his/her unique needs.
Examples of a modification: Installing a ramp or a rollin shower.
Strategies to Access the Section 8
Program
 Outreach
 Accepting Applications
 Waiting
List Preferences
 Screening Criteria
 Payment Standards
 Voucher Size
 Housing Search Assistance
Outreach
Outreach
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Notifying the disability community before
opening the Section 8 waiting list.
Providing training on the Section 8 application
process to the disability community and other
interested parties.
Accepting Applications
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Providing applications in Braille, large print, and
alternative formats.
Providing assistance to complete the application.
Allowing applications to be dropped off by a
friend, family member, advocate, etc.
Allowing applications to be mailed or faxed.
Visiting the applicant’s home in order to
complete an application.
Allowing additional time to submit an application.
Allowing secondary contact person to be listed
on the application.
Waiting List Preferences
 Allowable
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preferences for:
People with disabilities
People who are homeless
People in transitional housing
People receiving state-funded supportive
services
People with Medicaid Waivers
People receiving “Bridge” subsidies
People covered by the Olmstead decision
Screening Criteria
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Mandatory lifetime ban on assistance to persons
convicted of manufacturing methamphetamines
and/or registered sex offenders.
PHA may screen for other violent criminal activity.
However, as a reasonable accommodation:
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PHA may consider the severity of crime, extent of culpability,
evidence of rehabilitation, mitigating circumstances related to
disability of family member .
Allow for extra time to gather documentation for verification and
screening purposes.
Payment Standards (PS)

PHA may set the rent standard (PS) between
90-110% of Fair Market Rent (FMR)
 There are exceptions:
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PHA may provide an exception PS for a person with a
disability up to 110% of FMR.
PHA may request an exception PS up to 120% from
HUD Field Office as a reasonable accommodation for
a person with a disability.
PHA may request an exception PS above 120% of
FMR from HUD HQ as a reasonable accommodation
for a person with a disability.
Voucher Size
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Most PHAs allow
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PHAs must provide for exceptions as reasonable
accommodation.
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1 bedroom for 1-2 persons.
Additional bedroom(s) for persons of different sex,
age.
Example: Live-in Aide
Example: Medical equipment
PHA may also provide exception utility
allowance as a reasonable accommodation.
Housing Search Assistance
 PHAs
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can:
Provide extensions on housing search times
(even beyond 120 days).
Assist applicants gain access to supportive
services.
Identify funding sources for cost of unit
modifications.
Provide search assistance.
Provide higher PS for accessible units provide
TA to owners on reasonable accommodation.
Public Housing
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Public Housing Agencies (PHA) also operate Public
Housing units.
There are over 3,200 PHAs nationally
• Some States are PHAs (See Opening Doors #22)
• Some County PHAs
• Local PHAs
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Approximately 550,000 studio and one bedroom
Public Housing units
100,000 units now converted to “elderly only” housing
To apply, persons with disabilities should contact their
local PHA. (see HUD Website)
Privately Owned HUD Assisted
Housing
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This type of rental housing is owned by private
landlords and has a HUD rental subsidy attached to
the unit.
Approximately 550,000 studio and one bedroom units
At least 300,000 converted to “elderly only”
HUD maintains a database of HUD assisted housing
on its website.
To apply, persons with disabilities should contact the
specific building and its management company.
McKinney Homeless Assistance
Programs

McKinney funds include the Supportive Housing
Program, the Shelter Plus Care Program and the
Section 8 Moderate Rehab SRO Program.
 All of these programs can be used to create
permanent housing for disabled homeless
individuals and families. (typically attached to
services)
 McKinney funds create more than 10,000 new
subsidies per year.
 Contact the Continuum of Care in your
community to locate these targeted housing
resources.
Section 811 Supportive Housing for
Persons with Disabilities Program
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Two components – tenant-based and project-based
Competitively awarded through the HUD Super NOFA
1,800 new units developed each year
2,000 new rent tenant-based subsidies each year
Project-based provides capital and operating support
Tenant-based (Mainstream Vouchers) provide rental subsidy
targeted to persons with disabilities
HUD provides a database of 811 funded projects on its website.
TAC provides a list of PHAs and nonprofits that administer
Mainstream vouchers.
To apply, persons with disabilities should contact the specific
building/ management company for projects and either the PHA
or Non-Profit for the Mainstream vouchers.
Other Federal Housing Programs
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HUD’s Consolidated Plan Resources
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HOME Program
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Community Development Block Grant
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Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA)
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Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG)
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U.S. Department of the Treasury – Internal Revenue Service’s Low
Income Housing Tax Credit Program
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State Housing Agencies administer these tax credit resources
that support the development of affordable housing.
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The Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) determines how a State will
use these TC resources.
HUD’s Consolidated Plan
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The ConPlan controls 4 HUD programs
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HOME program
Community Development Block Grant program
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS
Emergency Shelter Grant program
States and “entitlement communities” (CDBG)
and/or “participating jurisdictions (HOME) cannot
receive these funds unless they have a HUD
approved ConPlan
Sample Consolidated Plan
Funds
Jurisdiction
New York, NY
Los Angeles, CA
Chicago, IL
Houston, TX
Boston, MA
Phoenix, AZ
Miami, FL
Seattle, WA
Denver, CO
Memphis, TN
Charlotte, NC
CDBG
HOME
ESG
HOPWA
Total
$222,630,370
$89,171,936
$102,364,000
$36,992,000
$24,669,000
$20,730,000
$10,132,000
$15,083,000
$11,178,000
$10,037,000
$5,653,000
$129,144,702
$44,950,039
$33,010,924
$14,735,474
$8,751,326
$7,439,181
$5,140,914
$4,748,477
$4,595,528
$5,097,645
$2,849,690
$7,480,000
$3,121,000
$3,744,000
$1,230,000
$854,000
$541,000
$440,000
$510,000
$378,000
$389,000
$166,000
$60,315,000
$10,489,000
$5,514,000
$5,069,000
$2,477,000
$1,377,000
$10,617,000
$1,700,000
$1,412,000
$1,242,000
$562,000
$419,570,072
$147,731,975
$144,632,924
$58,026,474
$36,751,326
$30,087,181
$26,329,914
$22,041,477
$17,563,528
$16,765,645
$9,230,690
For more information, see HUD’s Community Planning and Development Program
2003 Formula Allocations online:
http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/about/budget/budget03/index.cfm
The Consolidated Plan and HOME
Funding
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HOME is the largest federal block grant to State
and local government used exclusively to create
affordable housing for low income households
 HOME funds are prioritized and made available
through the HUD mandated Consolidated Plan
process
 HOME funds can be used for:
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Rental housing acquisition and/or rehabilitation
New construction of rental housing
Tenant based rental assistance
Homeownership activities
How the HOME Program Really
Works!
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Most HOME funding is spent on households above 30
percent of median income (NOTE: SSI = to 18 percent
of median)
Almost half of HOME funds are spent on homeownership
programs
HOME funded rental housing must remain “affordable”
for 5-20 years, depending on circumstances
Most “affordable” rental housing developed with HOME
funds is not affordable to the lowest income households
(e.g. 1 BR HOME rent in Phoenix @ $500+)
HOME must be linked with HUD McKinney-Vento
programs, Section 8 vouchers, or used as tenant based
rental assistance in order to ensure affordability for most
persons with disabilities
Getting Involved
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Contact CD officials in charge of ConPlan to learn:
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Get copies of:
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The annual schedule for submission to HUD
The amount of HOME funding (and CDBG)
Citizen Participation Plan requirements and process for
“consultation” with service providers
5 year housing strategy
One Year Action Plans
Citizen Participation Plan and Performance Reports
Identify what affordable housing is being created with
ConPlan funds and learn about how to access these
units.
Low Income Housing Tax Credit
Program
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Low Income Housing Tax Credits – Cover up to 40 percent of rental
housing development costs
The Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) determines how a State will use
the Tax Credit resources. (i.e. preferences and set-asides)
Most “affordable” rental housing developed with tax credits are not
affordable to the lowest income households
Tax credit projects must also be linked with HUD McKinney-Vento
programs, Section 8 vouchers, or used as tenant based rental
assistance in order to ensure affordability for persons with
disabilities in these units.
Contact your State’s HFA to find out where these tax-credit financed
rental housing is located.
To apply, persons with disabilities should contact the specific
building and its management company.
Other Housing Efforts in Your
Community
 State Affordable
Housing Coalitions
 Community Development Corporations
 Local Housing Counseling Agencies
(database available on HUD website)
 National Nonprofits (i.e. LISC, CSH, NRC)
 Refer to Related Documents for Useful
Websites.